Another fantastic meal at Primal! We finally had the chance to come back after my pre-covid review, so buckle up again...a bit on the long side... A few updates/observations since last time: 1.The new reservations system is fantastic and removes the anxiety/finger crossing around getting a table. Bravo! 2. New decor/layout in the restaurant is smart, clean and comfortable; upscale without being pretentious. 3. Service was polite, organized and on point. Food came to the table well-timed, perfectly cooked and hot, with wait staff working together as one team to ensure each of us was happy. 4. The owners were listening to a patron who appeared to have a minor complaint just as we were walking out. They listened intently, validated her concerns and made her feel heard. GREAT customer service. Again, Bravo! What HASN'T changed (thank God) is the absolute perfection in the flavor profiles in each and every dish we ate. Each delicious morsel was well-balanced, with the perfect amount of acidity, fat, salty, sweet, umame...just one amazing magic trick after another as the night went on. These chefs obviously know what they're doing in the kitchen as well as being astute business owners. They've made all the appropriate adjustments along the way to turn something that was already really, really good into something fantastic. Go Primal! read more

You would think it was a given, but it really does make a difference if a business hires people who give a shit. If you're a restaurant, it's not just about professional service but about food in general. People who are passionate and curious about good food make for better restaurant staff. You can't believe how often this has no bearing on who people hire. Primal seems to be one of the good ones. We've eaten here three times now and while it's not a cheap meal, each visit has been met with exceptional food and service. Our server the other night was a young man who told us he originally applied to work in the kitchen because he's into food, but when they asked him if he had any interest in being a server, he decided to give it a shot. He has since decided he definitely likes being front of house. It makes a difference if your server is excited about food, and ours was. He was attentive without being obtrusive. Checking in but not bothering us. He knew the menu and was open and honest with his opinions. The meal was superb. We had a seafood medley of scallops, rock shrimp, and crab in a shallot cream sauce, as well as the turkey meatballs. Both were excellent. My wife got the Tuna steak, which was exceptionally large and cooked beautifully. I ordered a NY Strip and it was wonderfully charred, pink, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. My only complaint is that the sides are billed as shareable affairs (typical in a steakhouse), but they amounted to no more than a cup of product. The serving was plenty, but are you really going to charge me $26 for a cup of mashed potatoes and cup of creamed spinach? The dishes come with nothing. The salad and the desert are complimentary and are both quite good, so maybe the $230 for two without alcohol isn't as bad as it seems. Remember that it's BYOB. read more

Recently had our 1st dinner at Primal in Cape May. We had a 22oz Tomahawk Ribeye with 2 6 oz lobster tails which was a "for 2" special. It was $200 for the dish not including a side. We ordered the lobster ravioli app for $24 which was 2 ravioli in a chalet cream sauce with 2 small shrimp and some lump crab. Not much for $24 but it was delicious. They brought us a salad to share with red wine vinaigrette which was really good. Now comes dinner. The lobster tails were perfect! Sweet, tender and great with the clarified butter. The steak was a different story. Overcooked, grainy, dry, and lacking marbeling and therefore, lacking flavor. We told the waiter who comped us a lovely dessert since we didn't send the steak back. The service was great! Our server Christian was terrific. For all the hype about this place, and difficulty in getting reservations, what is touted as a top notch steak house did NOT serve even close to a top notch steak. read more

Primal is my absolute favorite restaurant. Mia and Joe are amazing. The burrata is out of this world. The shrimp and crab is truly delightful, especially with the sauce used to dip in the homemade complimentary bread. The filet and lobster is out of this world. Who can complain about complimentary dessert?! read more

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I've been waiting to go to Primal By Mia Mia since it opened. There aren't enough good things I can say about this place that you haven't already read from previous reviews, but I'll give it a try. From booking our reservation to walking out the door, the customer service Mia and her team offer are off the chart incredible. Let me start by saying I have been around the Food business all my life. My father owner one of the most successful catering companies in Red Bank, Nj. My father always stressed to us the importance of amazing customer service and food. Let me personally stress that I am 100% a foodie. I mean I think most of us are on this Facebook page but I start planning my restaraunts up to a year in advance for a vacation. Ok back to Primal.. Well, Mia and her gang could fit right in with us. The little touches done behind the scenes, down to which waiter we would have for my Birthday dinner was very thoughtful. We had James who Made amazing recommendations and you could tell he was very into giving us the best experiance possible. You felt like you were his only table, which I'm sure was a huge effort since the shortage in waitstaff everywhere and how popular this place has become. You could hear the buzzing of people talking all around us about how good their food is and looking over at us like as to say, "boy you are in for a good time here!" The table next to us started chatting with us giving us tips of what to get as if it were insider trading information. I'm glad they did. We got homemade bread to start, the olive oil was garlic flavored and out of this world, so was the pesto dipping sauce which I smuggled for later for my dinner. We also go the burratta and figs appetizer and the oysters, both melted in your mouth. Then came out a complimentary salad with Mias homemade dressing, very nice touch! Our dinners: I got the tuna with added African lobster tail that the James cut right off the tail for me. My husband got the Tomahawk steak which honestly could be a shared meal it was so big. That thing was amazing, it will stay in my mind and be compared to any other steak I eat. We got a choice of 3 sauces (I say "we" because I totally shared that steak with him) we also got the garlic peppercorn which I'm glad we did it was such a great addition to the meal. Get the mashed potatoes and the spinach! Omg they were heaven. I regret not getting the risotto too because it sounded amazing but we are definitely coming back in March for my husbands birthday. We were so full and didn't even finish everything 1/4 had to be wrapped up. But we carried on.. The meal was finished off with complimentary dessert of chocolate covered strawberries and espresso homemade moose and which I recognized right away as a Gooseberry! The strawberries were very fresh and firm. My dad used to make them at his store for Valentine's Day and as I know too well if you make them too far in advance the strawberries become mushy. Well they weren't they were perfect and so was the gooseberry. We also ordered cappuccinos which came with there own rock of homemade sugar. You could see Mia come out of her kitchen a few times. She is 100% in chef mode, so busy and I tuned with making everything perfect for everyone. A total perfectionist. This place has something different than other places, the food is amazing and so is the service incredible, but this place has Heart. You cannot find that easily. You feel the love poured into each dish and looking around you can see the care abs thoughtfulness to each fixture and decor that was chosen. Myself being an interior design background as well really appreciated all the little things that made the ambiance so flawless yet warm and homey. I wanted to thank her when we were leaving, but didn't want to bother her. I did catch her eye on the way out and smiled to say thank you and she smiled back. For everyone to have such an amazing experience as we did is hard work. congratulations  to Mia F Chiarella and her team for executing such a phenomenal dining experiance. read more

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Hands down the best restaurant in cape may. We can't wait to come back. absolutely everything was different and amazing read more

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Food was phenomenal! Ten stars, hands down. Everything from the bread to the dessert was truly delicious and crafted beautifully. My only complaint that stops me from giving 5 stars is that the bathrooms were not the cleanest. Also, tons of crumbs and dirt by the windows. I feel like that should be a priority at a restaurant like this, to be clean!!! read more

Wow. Just Wow! This restaurant was not on our radar as it is new. We walked by one evening (it's next to the arcade) and it looks beautiful. Got a reservation for Father's Day pretty late 8:45pm but it was SOO worth the wait!! It came with a beautiful salad and bread but we also ordered shrimp cocktail and the crab starter. We shared the tomahawk at the recommendation of our server with sides of Veggies (delish), truffle mashed potatoes (don't miss it), as well as mushrooms (so buttery). Steak was one of the best we've had and it fed 2 adults and 2 kids and we were stuffed!! It came with 3 sauces which were good but honestly didn't need it. They didn't have a desert menu (yet) but they brought out cheesecake drizzled in caramel and some ?fudge on the house and it was perfection!! Service impeccable and food better than you can imagine. It's BYOB (even better!), don't miss out. Server said the owners were in the back still testing out a limited menu. What a treat. read more

Although getting a reservation could be easier, we settled on an available time of 5:15 on arrival day, rather than try for another day and time. Nice inside table overlooking the beach and ocean. Food was good even though steaks were not done medium, they were medium well. Service was very good. read more

A real good a*s steak. Wow just wow what a great supper . Be careful about the cauliflower in the salad however , it's pickled real good so make sure to pair it with a cucumber or a chick pea (Garbonzo bean family) . Wow what great staff and waitresses and great flavors as well read more

Great location, food, ambience, staff all make for a 5 star experience. Highly recommend.

Was not a huge fan of the steak. Upon attending this restaurant, I'd just gotten back from the West coast, California & had eaten at a steakhouse out there & was not nearly as impressed with the steak here. We had a tomahawk steak, something we both hadn't had before to split between two people. It was plenty of food to share and highly recommended by the server. I typically enjoy filet mignon and did not love this steak. My partner didn't mind the steak as he ate most of it, and still ate it despite it not being our favorite. The restaurant is very pricey. The atmosphere is cool with it being on the beach. The other food ordered was very good. We also had a free dessert which we were excited about. read more

Finally got in....worth the wait I had the barrel ribeye Delicious and cooked to perfection Service was very good also read more

Excellent! 4 of us went and both couples had the special surf and turf for 2... 32oz Tomahawk Steak and two large South African Lobster tails. All was cooked perfectly and the lobster was juicy and tender. We also got the shrimp cocktail appetizer and the Brie which was amazing! Our server was also amazing. Friendly, made excellent recommendations, very attentive and just the right amount of humor. The menu to many may seem spartan and small options but what they do offer is done to perfection. Plus each meal comes with a salad and a complimentary dessert! It is well worth the price. Oh and it's BYOB, so no crazy marked up wine prices as you tend to find at similar high end steak houses. Was worth every penny. read more

Primal By Mia - Baked Brie Appetizer - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Outstanding food! Perfectly cooked! Best piece of fish I've ever tasted with Mia's shallot cream sauce. read more

Primal By Mia - Halibut - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Fantastic restaurant! The food was delicious and the service was great. The sauces were all wonderful and added an interesting flavor to the food. The restaurant was packed even in winter! And for good reason! read more

Food was outstanding! My husband and I shared the tomahawk steak and it was out of this world. BYOB too which was nice! The atmosphere was pleasant, but needed a bit more music / energy. Also service was somewhat slow. Besides that, fantastic meal with beautiful ocean views! read more

Primal By Mia - Tomahawk with side of truffled mashed potatoes - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

When you have a menu that works, stick with it. And that's exactly what Mia does. Oh she'll charm you with delectable, exquisitely created specials to keep us on our toes, but it's the steak and seafood that continue to excel. We dined on the filet and small so African lobster that we're done to perfection. And this was at the end of the evening, when everyone is tired and beat. The corn fritter app was good, although I think the shrimp could have been slightly larger and the tails kept on for texture, but that's just me (and it's not my restaurant). The bread, salad and dessert included were each individually sublime. No doggie bags needed from us. Never felt rushed, however, we didn't feel entirely embraced either. With such a special dining destination, I like to feel special. Because the food says it's so. The ambience is California chic. Soft. Romantic. A tad noisy, but certainly doable. Wonderful overall and I'd highly recommend! Looking forward to future visits. read more

Have been wanting to try Primal since they opened and finally had the opportunity, it didn't disappoint. The place was decorated for the holidays and the staff was outstanding. We started off with Buratta, Tuna Tartare, Lobster/Shrimp/Crab, all were delicious and shareable for the table. Main course I had the Ribeye grilled to perfection, others had Fillet, and Scallops, all perfectly prepared. Sides of Creamed Spinach, Truffle Yukon and Long hots were all equally delicious. The complimentary desert was the perfect finish. Now I have a new favorite place to eat in Cape May, I left extremely satisfied. Thank you Mia and staff for an amazing evening. read more

Good but definitely not as Fab-o as I see a lot of reviewers making it out to be. Friendly staff and comfortable atmosphere but the meal, itself, was nothing special. Fine appetizers, sides that were good but run-of-the-mill but it's the entreés their selves that I want to comment on. My companion went with the filet mignon and found it just ok and a little on the dry side ( I believe it was $58 ). I ordered the $75 dry aged ribeye served bone-in. I'm a steak eater and have had some great ones. Again, just run-of-the-mill. Good but not great. For $75 I want the Earth to move. I'm not trying to come down hard on this restaurant. It was good but I'm a bit surprised by all the hype. I will definitely go back but will avoid steaks all together. Their fish dishes came as highly recommended as the steaks and I look forward to giving that a shot. read more

Little bit pricey for the vibe, but overall food was really good. Got the center cut and filet, sat at the bar. Remember to BYON read more

Had dinner at Primal last night. The service was excellent. We asked to be seated early and they were able to accommodate us by sitting us 30 mins early. For an appetizer we had the pork belly. It was tender melt in your mouth and seasoned perfectly. For our entree my wife and I shared the tomahawk steak. It was cooked perfectly to a medium rare. I love steaks cooked on a wood stove. Such a great flavor from the wood and a great char. For our sides we had the mashed potato and creamed spinach. Both were amazing. My only small critic is no options for vegetables. Steak is heavy, creamed spinach heavy, a ribeye heavy. I like a simple grilled vegetable when eating my steak. To keep it light. For dessert we had the chocolate cake and chocolate moose. So good with a caramel sauce. Primal is my one of our places in Cape May and we're never disappointed. read more

So happy we were able to try Primal this trip down. It's an experience all it's own. Very special while still recognizable, approachable and highly satisfying. Strongly recommend. Follow the instructions for reservations and try offseason if possible. I bet it will be competitive to get a spot this summer. read more

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I have been to this restaurant about 5 or 6 times and each time I have eaten here, the food was AMAZING! If you are looking for a special dining experience, THIS is your restaurant! read more

Absolutely delicious meal at Primal! We visit cape may multiple times a year and were excited to try this out. We ordered burrata for an appetizer which was delicious. Each table gets fresh bread and a complimentary salad which were both fantastic. The tomahawk and lobster were incredible and came with a variety of sauces to accompany them. We also received a complimentary dessert which was amazing!! Will definitely be returning! read more

Primal By Mia - Surf and turf tomahawk for two! - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

DELIGHTFUL AND DELICIOUS are the words. My boyfriend and I went for a date night and we were blown away. A few people had told us to try this place but it has been difficult getting a reservation since it has become so popular. We brought two bottles of wine, tried two appetizers (the shrimp and duck and the calamari) and then ordered the halibut and the dry aged ribeye. We also got a complementary dessert. We both left full, but so extremely satisfied. We both said we would be back. Our waitress was awesome, the view of the beach was amazing, and the food was impeccable. 10/10 recommend. read more

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I was definitely impressed by the dining experience and cuisine, my husband was definitely not a fan. He ordered his ribeye medium and it was more rare. However, I feel as though the chef nailed it. From the crab cake, bruschetta, to the 8 ounce filet, everything g was perfect. read more

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I'm yelping this restaurant again because I have been here numerous times and am blown away more each meal. Tonight the pork belly appetizer was ridiculously delicious. Never had anything like it. We moved into a salad with lovely homemade dressing We ordered the bone in ribeye and a 6oz lobster tail. Cooked to perfection. The shallot sauce for the lobster was indeed the best thing I've ever tried. I never use anything on it. Ever!!! Last game changer was tonight's complimentary dessert. Pictures attached since they encompass how amazing this place is. The "GEM" of Cape May read more

Primal By Mia - Bone In Ribeye medium and 6oz Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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So I don't do many low ratings but I wasn't impressed at all. It's a steakhouse, seems to be run by young chefs. Limited menu so that should lend to perfection. It's BOB which we knew ahead of time. We ordered the burrata for a starter, it was infused with truffle which wasn't in the description. A very distinct taste. You order your entire meal at once, the waitress came back to say the Yukon had truffle salt another missing detail. We both ordered steaks, they were cooked as ordered, aged ribeye on the bone and filet. Other sides include creamed spinach and mushroom and onions for my husband, who mushrooms and few onions. The creamed spinach was fine. For what it was, it's not worth the experience. My experience in a fine dining establishment, the staff usually ask if anyone has any allergies the kitchen should be aware of. The staff was very nice but didn't know what the hidden ingredients were. read more

Worth it. I think I'll try a fish entree next time. The bread was the BEST the dipping oil I could swim in it! The sides salad & dessert were all phenomenal! I had the barrel cut ribeye it was the best piece of meat everrr! It was better than my husband's filet. read more

Would not go back. Not worth the money. We were disappointed by our evening at Primal. While the scenery and ambience is wonderful, We had several issues. First, a salad bread and dessert is included with your meal, but they don't tell you that until after you have ordered including a side item which you might think you need, but you probably don't. Second two of the people at the table ordered medium rare steaks and one came extremely red, which was perfect and the other did not, and when we complained about it, we were told that it was a trick of the light despite the fact that we had the two steaks side-by-side to compare And one was clearly medium rare and one was clearly not. Then they told us that we could either receive a new medium rare steak or have the steak comped, and we decided rather than wait to have the steak comped, but then they came along five minutes later and told us a new steak was being made for us and guess what was not comped on our bill? That being said the potatoes as a side were excellent. The rolls were excellent, and the salad was excellent however, the seafood that we got which was a lobster tail from South Africa and Chilean Seabass seemed a bit bland and definitely needed the sauces that are offered on the menu and yet were still not worth the cost. Would not go back or recommend it. read more

We celebrated my Mom's birthday here by scoring a reservation. The reservation process is a bit tricky only via text but we were successful and landed a 6:15 Saturday evening reservation. This spot is BYOB and on the beach with great views if your lucky enough to sit at the window. The menu is broken down in to courses . The restaurant offered two great specials including surf and turf with choice of tomahawk or filet all offered from a great dry aged selection. We stated our dinner out with the recommended lobster, scallop appetizer which was prepared in a super savory cream based sauce and very very good. We also opted for the burrata with fig and truffle. We also have the colossal shrimp appetizer with 4 shrimp. This course started with a load of dense bread that was super tasty. The waitress also brought to the table a lovely salad chic full of goodness and vegetables and beans dressed in a light dressing. For entree we had the dry aged bone in ribeye , two people opted for the filet special with lobster tail and one the large filet dry aged. All were cooked perfectly to order and came with great flavor having a charred but not burnt crust. They also offer three great sauce add ons which were not needed but gave great flavor to the meat. The vegetable sides were family style so we opted to try three the truffle mashed potatoes with Yukon gold potato, asparagus, and chefs vegetable selection. We probably should have sticky to two since it felt like a lot of food. The meal was rounded out with dessert which was house preferred cheesecake selection with fresh berries and light and fluffy whipped cream. All in all we had great meal , special attentive service from Brie. We were able to enjoy and savor the meal without feeling the summer rush. Do Yourself a favor and try this place. Definitely different than any other Cape May selections and you will not be disappointed. This restaurant will cost you more than average but expected for a resort and caliper of food and service . All in gratuity included $508.00 for 4 with nearly a sampling of the entire menu. Do yourself a favor and text for a reservation. read more

What a refreshing experience. We dined there last evening with 19 guests. Everything was stellar! The steaks were cooked to perfection, the sides and starters...we ordered them all...were beyond compare. My work travels take me all over this great country. I will hold this establishment up against any I have ever visited. It was the best part of our Cape May experience, and we will be back! Five stars doesn't capture the score thwart deserved. We had our confirmation text. And yes the restaurant got the day wrong...it didn't matter! They knocked the ball out of the park! Thanks again to the whole staff for a memorable experience! read more

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Simply the most amazing steak ever and a byob a friend of ours Sammy has told us about this for the past 4 months and he was soooo right great steak, lobster and amazing service. This was the best dining experience we ever had in Cape May. read more

We live about 4 miles from primal and have now dined here 4 times. Loved it every time. Most recently was a 70 th birthday for a group including 1 in a wheelchair. They were very accommodating with the wheelchair and once again, the food was delicious. read more

A true, absolute favorite. Service is always attentive and wonderful. There are many places to get steak & sea food - but Primal is just a whole different level. There is an elevated level of quality and creativity that makes it stand out from just a place to get a steak. The sauces, the bread, truffle mashed potatoes (and I'm not always a huge truffle fan), everything is fabulously balanced! We have been several times now, and each time has been a memorable experience. read more

Hands down best food in Cape May! Each dish is well thought out and unique, and takes steakhouse flavors to a whole new level. read more

Primal By Mia - Ribeye - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Wow, loved this restaurant! Dined there last week to celebrate my husband's birthday! The food is outstanding, so was the service and the beautiful view from our table. Restaurant decor is beautiful as well! We can't wait to return! read more

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First of all - the food is very good. its mostly a steak house. Service is very good and considerate. Ambiance....not impressed. This is the 3rd time we have dined at Primal. We always selected the ocean view seating. and for the 3rd (and last time ever) we were again seated at the table for two next to the grass wall. This is probably the worst table with the waiters squeezing past to get to the other tables. Primal has the lock since very few dining options are available at this time of the year. So for us this was the last time. read more

You will not be sorry! Food, ambiance and service are all top notch. Bring a bottle of wine and enjoy. Mia truly goes above and beyond